To compare is to estimate the similarities or differences between two things

A victim is a person harmed, injured or killed as a result of a crime.

A sympathetic character is one that you feel pity or sorrow for.

A comparative connective (e.g. however, but, similarly) expresses similarity or difference between two ideas.

Comparing the victims in ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

English

Making predictions about Sherlock Holmes

Analysing Helen Stoner’s presentation in ‘The Speckled Band’

Making predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery

Analysing atmosphere and character in ‘The Speckled Band’

Investigating Julia’s death in ‘The Speckled Band’

Analysing Dr. Roylott in ‘The Speckled Band’

Writing an argument about Dr. Roylott from ‘The Speckled Band’

Creating newspaper headlines and subheadings

Writing the opening of an article on ‘The Speckled Band’ case

‘The Speckled Band’ case: writing a newspaper article body

'The Speckled Band' case: concluding newspaper articles

Using rhetorical devices in newspaper articles

Reading about Stoke Moran and analysing atmosphere in ‘The Speckled Band’

Reading and summarising the conclusion of ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery

Planning a newspaper article about the solved  case of ‘The Speckled Band’

Writing your own newspaper article about Sherlock Holmes

Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Solving 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Analysing John Turner from ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

Comparing ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’: a written comparison

in 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories', pupils practise using analytical writing sentence structures, to formulate their arguments. In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils develop these skills further, applying them to a range of pre- 20th Century texts. 

in 'When the Sky Falls' pupils read fiction texts for fluency and comprehension. In 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories' pupils start to analyse the language choices of an author.

In this unit, pupils read and explore two famous Sherlock Holmes stories. They start by reading and analysing 'The Speckled Band' before using it as inspiration to write a newspaper article. They then read and analyse 'The Boscombe Valley Murder' before writing a comparison of the two stories.

Sherlock Holmes: short stories

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Who are the murder victims of 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', respectively?

Julia Stoner from 'The Speckled Band' and Charles McCarthy from 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' are both victims. Which victim is presented more sympathetically?

Which of the below is a comparative connective?

''Writhed, shrieked'' -what do these verbs suggest about Julia Stoner from 'The Speckled Band'? 

McCarthy was not a completely innocent victim. 

Read this quote from 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery': '‘...for my father was a man of a very violent temper.’' ​What does this quote suggest about Charles McCarthy?

Who is the murder victim of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?

Who is the perpetrator in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?

Who is wrongfully convicted in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?

Who is the murder victim in 'The Speckled Band'?

How was Charles McCarthy murdered in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'? 

Charles McCarthy is the murder victim but has been a threatening presence too.

Charles McCarthy is the murder victim but also killed Turner's daughter.

Charles McCarthy is the murder victim and has suffered all his life.

How are the lines between victim and villain blurred in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?

Comparing the victims in ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

Lesson outcome

Content guidance